Chanel Les Beiges!

The highly, highly anticipated Chanel Les Beiges are finally HERE!  Launched exclusively at the Chanel Beauty Boutiques at Ion and MBS Shoppes today, the Les Beiges will make their way to the rest of the Chanel counters later this month.  I had the chance to sit down for a personal demonstration, which was super helpful in understanding the 2 Les Beiges pieces – All-in-One Healthy Glow Cream. and Healthy Glow Sheer Powder.

Inspired by the passion for freedom of Gabrielle Chanel, the CHANEL Makeup Creation Studio has designed LES BEIGES, a new spirit of makeup that is simple and intuitive. Free like a breath of fresh air. Spontaneous like the perfect getaway. Enveloping like a caress of light. LES BEIGES reveal the healthy glow of each woman and provide a sensation of lightness, well-being and freshness. 

Les Beiges All-in-One Healthy Glow Cream SPF 30 PA+++

This is a multi-tasking make-up base, it actually reads “All-in-one BB cream” at the back of the tube, which seems like a step back after it’s CC cream.  However, the Healthy Glow Cream contains Chanel’s signature soft-focus powders that is used in all its foundation products, to diminish imperfections, reduce the appearance of pores and even out the skin.  As such, this is more of a make-up product, whilst the CC cream tends more towards skincare.

Just because I found the usage for both products to be very similar, I compared the 2 side by side (swatched below – Les Beiges above & CC cream below).  I found the Healthy Glow Cream to be much more runny and had a finer texture, and applied much sheerer than the CC cream.  It also left a luminous finish unlike the CC cream which is more matte.

There is an obvious shade difference between the Healthy Glow Cream and the CC cream, but both blends completely into the skin.  For the sake of comparison, I didn’t blend it out totally so you can see.

Regardless, when you pay a pretty penny for Chanel, you expect more than just a good illuminating base.  The Healthy Glow Cream provides a sensation of comfort and hydration thanks to a hyaluronic acid derivative. Cotton flower and white rose plant cells, combined with a high SPF30 / PA+++, protect the skin from environmental stress, such as pollution, free radicals and sunlight.

Les Beiges  Healthy Glow Cream is currently available in 2 shades, both have pink-undertones, and shade 10 is slightly fairer (to me eye, it looked more pink) than shade 20.  I have swatched shade 20 in the picture above.

Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder SPF15 / PA++

The Healthy Glow Sheer Powder is incredibly finely milled, so much so that it almost feels creamy to the touch.  It is currently available in 5 shades, with the lighter shades (10, 20) suitable for use as an all-over pressed powder that lends extra radiance, and the darker shades (30, 40, 50) suitable for use as bronzers for sculpting.

Personally, I found shades 10 and 20 to be perhaps of the same darkness, but of very different base tones.  Shade 10 (at the top of the picture) is slightly pinkish, whereas shade 20 (at the bottom of the picture) is more beige.

Enclosed with the Healthy Glow Sheer Powder is the semi-circular flat brush as shown above.  I liked that it’s quite handy, allowing for quick touch-ups when needed.  However, it actually comes in a disc-shaped plastic tray that just sits above the powder, and it kept slipping out the moment I open my compact, which I found annoying.  I wished Chanel made the compact double-layered like most compact foundations, but that would almost certainly make the case thicker.

Les Beiges Retractable Kabuki Brush

Stealing the spotlight somewhat, is this buttery soft kabuki brush.  Its incredibly density makes it ideal for buffing the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder for a more made-up look (whereas the flat brush that comes with the powder produces a sheerer coverage).  Made with retractable springs, this kabuki brush is extremely handy for carrying around.  For those of you who don’t need another brush, or makeup addicts, be warned!  Stay as far away from this little baby as you can, because once you’ve touched it, you WILL WANT IT!

And here is how it all looked on me, with the L’ete Papillon range of eye shadows and eye liner on!  That’s at the end of 6 hours’ wear… not too shabby!

Do pop by Ion or MBS to experience the new Les Beiges this weekend if you can!  Check out the L’ete Papillon Summer 2013 colors (reviewed here) while you are there!  Oh and the super gorgeous new lip glosses and Taboo nail polish that just came out with the Les Beiges… I may be reviewing those at a later date, so stay tuned!

XOXO